1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for severing work objects and the like and more particularly to such an apparatus which rotatably mounts a conventionally configured chain saw that is operable to sever a work object into predetermined lengths. The apparatus as herein shown and described has particular utility when used to cut voluminous quantities of firewood at reasonable labor costs and which further provides improved directional stability and handling characteristics to the chain saw which is moved in an arcuate path of travel into severing relationship with a work station.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Homeowners have long recognized that the cost of heating their homes can be significantly reduced if they burn wood from time to time in their stoves. With the advent of the Arab oil embargo some ten years ago, large numbers of Americans rediscovered the wood burning stove and the fireplace insert and as a consequence began using increasing amounts of wood for the purpose of heating their homes.
As should be appreciated, the cutting of firewood into preselected lengths for use in stoves and fireplaces, etc. is quite an arduous task. Frequently, the firewood is purchased in fixed lengths, that is, four, eight or twelve foot lengths which are then delivered to the owner's property or location at which the pieces are to be cut. The homeowner thereafter cuts the firewood to length using a conventional chain saw.
A multiplicity of problems and tasks confront an individual who is attempting to cut up any significant volume of firewood. Firstly, it should be understood that commercially available chain saws, and more particularly, the chain saws that have internal combustion engines, can frequently induce user fatigue. Moreover, the repeated acts of stooping and bending to reposition a selective log for cutting with the chain saw, and the moving about a pile of firewood during the cutting process presents numerous safety problems inasmuch as it is quite easy for an individual to stumble and fall in such an environment, with potentially lethal consequences. Second, it is quite difficult in this environment to determine precisely the size of the piece of firewood being cut; and to avoid contact of the rapid moving cutting chain with the surface of the earth as a cut is being completed, it being understood that contact with the earth even for an instant, frequently necessitates that cutting operations temporarily stop while the cutting chain is resharpened, readjusted or otherwise attended to.
The prior art is replete with numerous examples of assorted chain saw support apparatus which have been detachably secured or otherwise mounted on variously designed chain saws for the purpose of aiding an individual in safely moving the chain saw in a predetermined path of travel into severing engagement with pieces of wood, or alternatively moving the wood into severing relationship with a stationary chain saw. As a general matter, most of the prior art devices utilize a chain saw which is mounted on or otherwise detachably affixed to a work surface for the purpose of aiding an individual in moving the chain saw into engagement with the pieces of wood in a preselected attitude which permits the wood to be cut in any desired length throughout a reasonable range.
While it is well understood that the utilization of these prior art chain saw mounting appratuses somewhat improves the cutting performance of a chain saw so mounted, the apparatuses, however, suffer from a multiplicity of drawbacks which have detracted from their usefulness. For example, nearly all of the prior art chain saw mounting apparatuses, in one form or another, possess a subassembly which detachably mounts the chain saw to a work surface. While these apparatuses operate with a degree of success, they have a common shortcoming in that they frequently can only process wood of selected diameters or alternatively the mounting subassembly limits the depth of the cut that the chain saw can impart. Moreover, the prior art chain saw support apparatuses have usually required, as a general matter, that the chain guide bar of the chain saw be altered in some fashion to permit it to be mounted on the apparatus.
Still another significant problem with the prior art chain saw support apparatuses results from characteristics inherent in their design inasmuch as the prior art devices have frequently been of such a design that they are inconvenient to disassemble or move, and are not easily utilized in rough or rugged terrain.
Therefore it has long been known that it would be desirable to have an apparatus for severing a work object and the like and which is particularly well suited to pivotally mounting a conventional chain saw. The apparatus is operable to increase the cutting performance and directional stability of the chain saw so mounted, as it is urged into severing engagement with the work object to be cut.